An Important Question
by Indigo-Typhoon
Summary: Yuan and Kratos have been dating for a while now, but Yuan has something he needs to ask before things can class as "plain sailing" Kratos POV. KratosYuan Shonen-ai. Follow-up to My Best Friend, but you don't have to read that to understand it.


An Important Question

Once again, KratosYuan shonen-ai. Kratos POV, set after "My Best Friend."(Which is my first ToS fic) Might be a little OOC 'cause I had to soften Kratos a little. Still, I think it works...

I stifled a smile as I glanced up from the book I was currently reading. (I never should have mentioned to Raine I liked reading historical books, now she piles them on me.) Yuan thought he was good at keeping his face expressionless, but his thoughts are practically written word for word on his face.

Actually his body language tells me lot, too. Right now he was staring at me fixatedly, hiding behind his fringe in an attempt to stop me from noticing, legs crossed, tugging his cloak round his shoulders every few seconds, and rocking back and forth. So it was obvious that I was holding his attention, he was embarrassed about it, he had something on his mind, he was anxious and he wanted to ask me something.

Knowing from long experience that he tended to freeze up when I tried to tackle him directly, I decided to try prompting him lightly.

"Any good?" He burst out, nodding to my book. Ok, I don't think he was tying himself in knots about that...

"It's... Not bad." I muttered, unwilling to admit that it was actually one of the best accounts of life in the Balacruf Dynasty I had ever come across.

"You seemed pretty absorbed in it for the past hour..." He trailed of, flushing as he realised he'd just told me how long he'd sat there staring at me.

"So? You should know I have a long attention span." I retorted, fighting back the urge to grin at how cute he was when he got shy.

I felt slightly uncomfortable at the flash of hurt that crossed his face then. He normally leapt eagerly into our competitive banter, fast-paced battles of words and wit, which are fun, because I _always_ win. He just doesn't stand a chance. Today he seemed insecure, backing away from the bite of the words.

Instinctively, I reached out to pull him over to me. He flinched away, causing a flutter of worry in the pit of my stomach. Standing up, he mumbled something about going for a walk, and left the room.

I felt a mixture of anxiety and annoyance. Anxiety because Yuan was acting strangely, making me wonder if he regretted establishing our relationship a couple of weeks ago, after a camp-out in an old, favourite spot of ours. Annoyance because he knew I wouldn't try to hurt him. Lloyd surprised me a week ago by telling me I had a Protective Complex.

Sadly, he was right. I don't tend to feel close to people, even before I had a Cruxis Crystal, so when I do I have a habit of being fiercely protective. And Yuan was a bit of a critical spot in that flaw because as a half-elf in a human village during the Kharlan War he got tyrannised a lot. So if there is one person I have protected for near enough my whole life (Eight and however much years don't seem important when your more than four thousand years old) it's Yuan.

So _really_ he had no reason to flinch away like that. I wouldn't hurt him. Even less so now our friendship had developed. (I was very nearly _afraid_ when Colette found out. She told me she was "So very happy you're blossoming into an affection person, I hope we can have a more open relationship from now on, and I hope you'll find it easier to connect to Lloyd!" Freakish little blond mutant.)

Making a decision, I rose to feet, releasing my wings and getting ready to follow my puzzling comrade. Incidentally, I don't just know his body language. I also know exactly where he goes when he's sad.

Half an hour later, I landed on top of Volt's tower, fatigued from dodging lightning bolts and cursing myself for not keeping my agility in the air up to standard. As I'd predicted, Yuan was on top of the tower, curled into a little ball. Upon closer inspection it became apparent that he was asleep.

Rolling my eyes at his childish behaviour, falling asleep on top of a monster infested, several story tower, I settled down beside him, scoping him up and making my body lax, so he could find a comfortable position without waking.

He stirred, but settled in a few seconds. I don't know how he does it; I wake as soon as someone _touches_ me, let alone trying to _move_ me. I scanned the area, checking for monsters. There weren't any, but I could make out Lloyd, playing on the beach with one of his friends, I guessed Zelos, once I recognised the curly red hair. It was a little worrying that Lloyd chose to spend so much alone time with the former Chosen, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

It wasn't too long before Yuan woke up. He looked up at me, baffled. I suppose it was the fact I'd followed him, found him, and sat there hugging him while he slept.

...

...And the fact I was stroking his hair. Absent-mindedly. And smiling, I did that too.

"I want to ask you something." He told me, matter-of-factly.

"I know." I replied, expecting to end up spending ten minutes waiting for him to stop getting side-tracked and ask me.

"How do you feel about me? Honestly, truly, no concern for my feelings?" Uh-oh, looks like my stoic attitude and stubborn, argumentative streak had left him insecure...

"I... You're one of my best friends. You're one of the only people I trust. I... I..."

"Say it." There was a flash of irritation, almost rage, in his sea-coloured eyes as he stared me down, daring me to lower my guard, to open up.

"I love you." I whispered. I ducked my head, unable to meet his eyes.

"Louder." There was a hint of something in his voice, a stir-crazy, I'm-going-to-blow something.

Inhaling deeply, I thought back to the last time I'd tried to do this. Instead I found myself wondering why it was he needed me to tell him, verbally, how I felt. I thought that was obvious from the way I acted with him. You don't make out with your best friend unless they're something more than that.

Then I got it. Back before Lloyd was born, Yuan found me and Anna while we were travelling. He'd asked me why I'd left and I'd told him I loved her. He felt insecure because he thought I didn't love him as much. Because I had found it so easy to say then.

"I _LOVE_ YOU!" I didn't realise who had yelled at first. Then I worked out from Yuan's face that it was me.

...Wait. I. Just. Screamed. That. I. Love. Him.

F****** Niflheim! I wasn't expecting that. Anymore than I expect to find myself tackle-hugged to the ground. By someone who was NOT allowed to hug me.

"Oh wow! You really have become a more open, affectionate person! Oh Kratos, that's wonderful! Wait until I tell Lloyd! He'll be so happy for you! _I'm_ so happy for you! You two make a really cute couple..." I wish she had lost her voice permanently. I know; that is a horrible thought. But I meant it. The world would be a better place if Colette was mute.

And as a father, I would sooner Lloyd dated _Presea_ than Colette. And she looks so young he'd probably get arrested. And is so much older than him he'd be out of his depth. Still, she'd be better than Colette. Even Zelos would be better than Colette. And I can't stand him.

Colette was thankfully lifted off me at that point. By Yuan. Who looked gratifyingly jealous about Colette hugging me. Almost jealous enough to make it worth it. Almost.

After being told in less-than-polite language to go away, Colette scuttled off, presumably to stalk Lloyd. Yuan turned to me, looking defiant.

"Wish you'd done that when Roxanne was my obsessive stalker." I said, referencing a random girl I had the misfortune to meet on a long ago Chosen ritual, more than two thousand years ago.

He laughed then. And flung himself at me. While I was still on the ground. I objected to him lying on top of me, so I rolled onto my side, and proceeded to show him how much I loved him in a way that required no words at all.

A/N: Hah, Writing as Kratos is a lot harder than writing as Yuan, hence this being almost half the length... Roxanne is a random girl I thought up when myself and a friend were laughing over the idea of Kratos having an obsessive fan girl stalker. She is, in no way, a relevant character deserving of interest. I didn't mean it to come out immature, or Colette bashing but it was hard to write as Kratos, and I just don't think he'd like Colette at all. Colette came out a little OTT but I was trying to add humour. Now, I'm going to shut up and let you get on with your lives, but please leave a review.


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